Shelled marine creatures living in increasingly acidified oceans face a fight for survival as the impacts of climate change spread, a new study suggests.
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, and the University of Plymouth, UK, assessed the impact of rising carbon dioxide levels on the large predatory “triton shell” gastropod (Charonia lampas).
They found those living in regions with predicted future levels of CO2 were on average around a third smaller than counterparts living in conditions seen throughout the world’s oceans today.
However there was also a noticeable negative impact on the thickness, density, and structure of their shells, causing visible deterioration to the shell surface.
Read more at University of Plymouth
Image: A comparison of shells assessed during the research, with the top shell taken from waters with present-day CO2 levels and the bottom one from waters with future predicted levels (Credit: Ben Harvey/University of Tsukuba)